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Mean Blood Lead Levels among Children

Summary Indicator Report Data View Options

Why Is This Important?

Lead can disrupt the normal growth and development of a child's brain and central nervous system. Children are exposed to lead by swallowing lead dust, soil, or paint chips, breathing lead contaminated air, or eating food or drinking water that has been contaminated by lead.

Definition

Mean (average) blood lead levels in children aged 1-5 years

Data Source

LeadTrax (data through August 2021) and Communicable Disease Reporting and Surveillance System (data after August 2021), Office of Local Public Health, New Jersey Department of Health
(https://www.nj.gov/health/childhoodlead/)

How the Measure is Calculated

Numerator:Sum of blood lead levels in each child aged 1-5 years
Denominator:Estimated number of children aged 1-5 years in the population

How Are We Doing?

The average blood lead level of children aged 1-5 years is declining. The original Healthy New Jersey 2020 target of 2.9 mcg/dL was met in 2007-2010, thus a revised target was set and that one was achieved in 2017-2020.

Available Services

How to Prevent Lead Poisoning in Children: [https://www.cdc.gov/lead-prevention/about/] Consumer Product Safety Commission (lead recalls in consumer products): [https://cpsc.gov/]

Health Program Information

NJDOH Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention: [http://www.state.nj.us/health/childhoodlead/]

Indicator Data Last Updated On 04/04/2023, Published on 06/05/2024
Office of Local Public Health, New Jersey Department of Health, PO Box 360, Trenton, NJ 08625-0360 (https://nj.gov/health/lh/index.shtml)